"Every day, tens of thousands of people roam through the dystopian universe of DayZ, a popular online game in which players strive to survive a zombie outbreak. Immersing themselves as participants and observers, film-makers Ekiem Barbier, Guilhem Causse and Quentin L'Helgouac'h find strange beauty in this post-apocalyptic world filled with brutality and bloodshed. Their documentary is built entirely around in-game footage, interactions and POV shots, capturing a seemingly endless realm with infinite possibilities."
"As an open-world game, DayZ has no set objectives apart from the obvious goal of staying alive and players are allowed to build their own adventure, or to simply drift. Many organically form close-knit factions. The film-makers encounter one such group whose masked, gun-toting members espouse a shared philosophy of death and mindless killing. As their leader casually speaks of cannibalising a nearby character, tied up on a metal table, it's difficult not to wonder about the offline self behind this shocking online persona."
"Still, to equate enjoyment of violent in-game tactics with an innate desire to re-enact them would be too simplistic. In fact, any kind of approach that pits the real against the virtual might miss the point entirely. When the film-makers pose overly rhetorical or philosophical questions to other players, it only leads to uninspired answers. When we are simply allowed to be in the game, however, something truly magical happens."
A documentary built entirely from DayZ in-game footage uses interactions and POV shots to portray an open-world of survival and improvisation. Players navigate a post-apocalyptic landscape with no set objectives beyond staying alive, forming factions or drifting solo. One encountered faction embraces violent ideology, including talk of cannibalism, prompting reflection on the relationship between online personas and offline selves. Enjoyment of violent tactics does not necessarily indicate a desire to reenact them. Many players seek community, rest, and the game's natural scenery. Scenes range from brutal confrontations to tender moments and an impromptu rave among ruins.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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